#also had someone leave wailing and weeping and screaming and crying tags on the last daemons post so i was like. well i owe you reparations

[wovenstarlight]

(on ao3)

Before Yoohyun even opens his door, Junhwan’s raising his head, ears flicking. Yoohyun eyes him; while he can’t hear anything himself, Junhwan’s ears are still sharper, so he trusts him—but whatever emotion his daemon is feeling, it isn’t alarm. If anything, it reads as pleased surprise.

Yoohyun opens the door to hyung’s laughter and understands immediately. His and Junhwan’s footsteps are cat-light as they enter their house, padding silently through the living room towards… Is the sound coming from the Horned Flame Lion’s enclosure? Yoohyun’s told hyung not to go in there unsupervised for a while! …But hearing him still laughing like that, he can’t be too angry. Not when the little beast has apparently managed to achieve what he hasn’t in the last two days. A curl of jealousy flares inside him, Junhwan’s lips pulling back to bare his teeth in the start of a growl as he presumably arrives at the same thought, but then there’s a soft, breathless giggle-snort from noona and that-

That makes them both very quiet.

They slow down as they get closer. Hyung isn’t immediately visible through the glass walls of the enclosure; Yoohyun dares to get closer, keeping to the side with some of the thicker foliage, and peers through the gaps.

Ah. There. Hyung’s lying on his side on the soft grass, the Lion perched on his hip and staring wide-eyed at… Noona, who’s up on a tree?

Yoohyun doesn’t understand. What’s so funny? He squints at the Lion, who’s doing… a grand total of precisely nothing. It’s just staring at noona and swishing its tail back and forth, the tip occasionally flicking over hyung’s side. Is it tickling him? But hyung isn’t ticklish, as far as he remembers… And even if he was, what’s noona laughing about? She’s halfway up one of the trees—Yoohyun takes a heart-stopping second to study it and make sure it’s not a Gillotinae, even though he knows objectively that she wouldn’t be stupid enough to get close to those—and peering down at hyung, wearing a silly smile.

She shifts as he watches, turning to jump across to another tree close by and scrambling up its branches. “Reckless,” Junhwan mumbles almost inaudibly, and Yoohyun agrees. There’s something almost childish about the fumbling, uncontrolled way in which she climbs. Like she’s not used to all her limbs being where they are. He remembers it from back when she’d first settled—for two weeks after that, Yoohyun and Junhwan had watched her jump off high spots and panic because she’d forgotten she couldn’t fly. (She was a cat, she’d always landed on her feet, of course, but that hadn’t stopped Junhwan from moving to catch her. Just in case.)

She’s climbing really high right now, actually. Yoohyun frowns as she clambers to the top of one particularly tall tree. Shouldn’t that be stretching their distance limit? Even if hyung’s Awakened now? She barely seems to notice, and the same goes for hyung, who continues lying there, watching her affectionately. Noona crawls out to the edge of the branch closest to hyung, peeks down at him, then hunches down and—

Her feet lift off the branch. Yoohyun and Junhwan lunge for the door. There’s rustling of cloth and grass and fur and creaking hinges and then—

And then, Yoohyun and Junhwan are staring at hyung lying on his back on the ground, noona pillowed safely on his chest and the Lion on his knees, all three of them staring back.

“Yoohyun-ah?” Hyung sits up, noona hopping up to his shoulders and winding around his neck. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Yoohyun blurts. It was only in case— “Nothing. Are you okay?”

“I… Yes…?”

“Okay.” Yoohyun nods quickly. “Good.”

There’s words at the tip of his tongue—be careful, didn’t that pull hurt, why are you in here when I said—but he never gets to say any of them, because noona narrows her eyes at Junhwan and says, “Well, in that case, let them talk, I-wanna-play-tag-you’re-it!” and flings herself at him.

Junhwan bolts entirely on 17 years’ worth of reflex, and noona chases him in circles around them, yowling when he goes too far from hyung for her to follow. Hyung snorts when Junhwan sheepishly approaches them again, only to dance away from noona’s batting paws.

“Oh, that’s no fair,” hyung wheezes, and coaxes the Lion off his knees before bracing his hands against the ground, pausing for a moment (…?), then rolling to his feet—no, foot, all his weight is on his left leg (??) for a split second before he relaxes, balanced once more. “Let’s give her a fighting chance, huh?” he says, and Yoohyun's eyes belatedly flick up from his leg to his face when he starts jogging after Junhwan. Noona gleefully gives chase with the new extension to her leash, and Yoohyun’s forced after them as they cross to the far end of the enclosure.

There’s a pleased smile on hyung’s face as he goes, childish glee in noona’s cackling as she runs, and Yoohyun watches them for a moment before deciding to drop it. He can bring up the question another time; it hardly seems fair to ruin their fun now.

He can't stop himself from smiling as he follows.

[thewheezingwyvern]

Venomous

Summary: Desire comes with teeth and unfortunately for you, desire comes in the form of the Villain Eraserhead, an injection of aphrodisiacs and questions about your hero comrades. “Step into my parlour.” said the spider to the fly.

NSFT

Kinks: Bondage, Sexual Torture, Aphrodisiacs, Breath Play, Master/Slave dynamic (slightly) and DUBCON. (seriously, dubcon, if you don’t like don’t read) 

Word count: 1710

Note: This really just came about from a thirst idea I dropped in the BNHA server I’m in. This was rolled out in like the course of an hour and a half so it was very impromptu. Hope you enjoy!

Tagging: @animewh0re​, @marilla-eldriana​, @red-riot-girl642​, @mari-writes-smut​, @heyybrittannia​

Villain!Aizawa x Fem!ProHero!Reader

"Come on, hero, you know what I want." He drawled to you, slouching back in his chair as he eyed you languidly, "Just give me the information and I can give you some relief." 

The mere sound of his voice alone was enough to intensify the liquid heat pooling in your loins. Dark eyes scorched across your skin, carefully watching you squirm in his capture weapon. And his capture weapon was the only scrap of clothing you had on you, every inch of you splayed out for his eyes. Your legs trapped in a frog tie, weeping pussy wide open for him. The sight of him dragging his tongue over his lower lip made your breath hitch in your chest. Pumped full of an aphrodisiac, every part of you ached and he knew it. 

"I'm not telling you anything-!" you hissed through gritted teeth. 

His smirk was languid but confident, "You will though. Kitten, I can keep you like this for hours if I wanted. Do you think you can last that long?"

"Someone will come eventually." You bite out. 

"Eventually, maybe..." 

Eraserhead climbed to his feet, sauntering over to your bound form. The sight of his powerful presence looming over you made your aching, empty pussy clench. Fuck this was bad. Cocky smirk widening, he swept his dark and burning eyes over your frame. You renewed your struggles, straining to get out of the capture weapon but it just wouldn't budge. HIs chuckle stirred your overwhelming arousal. Your need. Desperately you tried to ignore how wet you were, how ready you were to be fucked. 

"But eventually is not fast enough for you. Look at yourself. You're absolutely soaked and I haven't even touched you yet." 

You needed him to touch you. You needed it so damn bad. Trembling limbs was his response, a needy whimper caught in the back of your throat. When he finally touched you, it was a light brush of a single finger up your wet slit and it pulled a positively lewd moan from your needy mouth. Aizawa studied his finger in the light, watching your arousal gleam before he brought it up to his mouth to taste. The sight made you whimper again. 

"Fuck." He hissed, "I might just need more than a taste of you, hero."

"Please...!" was your breathy whine, "I don't know anything, I'm just a healer!" 

You felt the capture weapon squeeze tighter around you, making you cry out in a mix of pain and pleasure. Aizawa's cock, already standing at attention, hardened and twitched at the sound. More. He wanted to hear you beg more for him. The sight of a helpless little hero, powerless in his grasp set his own blood on fire. 

"You are a healer, that's true." He carefully stroked a single finger up your slit again, relishing in your needy cry, "But you have to know where they move next in order to help. I've seen you, Kitten. You've gone out into the field. Now tell me what you know about their next move." 

A plaintive whine escaped you, "I don't knoooow! I never know until they are ready to move! No one's told me anything!" 

You tried to buck your hips but the frogtie and lack of friction made it so you gained no relief. Whimpering, needy and a mess of trembling limbs you squirmed. God it felt like you had been fucked in years, all cresting into one intense feeling of raw, unadulterated desire. It was uncomfortably hot and you thought you would combust in your own skin.

"Hmmm if you really don't know anything then why should I give you relief? You've given me nothing." A sinister smirk twitched on his lips, "Maybe I should just leave you here for your heroes to find you. They'd find you here, dripping for me, left aching for my villain cock. What would they think of you then?" 

Hot shame coursed through you at his words. And unfortunately for you, it also sent a powerful bolt of arousal right at your core. The thought of your comrades finding you bare, dripping and tied up on a table in an abandoned bar filled you with dread and excitement all at once. You felt your cheeks burn at the thought, pussy clenching as your head lolled back. Aizawa palmed his length through his pants at the sight. 

"So if you don't have any information to give me, beg me. Beg to have my cock in you, little hero. If you beg nice enough I might give it to you." 

You had planned to resist. Truly you had. But Eraserhead pressed the pad of his thumb to your clit in slow, torturous circles. It nearly made you orgasm on the spot because of the pent up, raw need in you. 

"P-Please! Please give me your cock!"

He lightened the pressure on your clit just so, driving you mad. Helplessly you bucked, seeking the friction to guide you to release. Seeing you so powerless and needy set him growling, a powerful shudder rocketing down your spine. 

"Is that the best you have?" he asked you, his voice taking on a gravelly edge, "That didn't sound very convincing." 

"Shouta~! Please! Please, Please fuck me! I need to cum!" 

"How bad do you need to cum?" his eyes hooded as he stared down at you, "Call me your Master. And then I'll believe you." 

"Master!" you wailed without hesitation, his thumb still tormenting your swollen clit, "Please let me cum!" 

"Fuck-!"

Based on the outline of his rock hard dick in his pants, you had thought he was going to fuck you then and there. But you were in for a surprise when he leaned over the table and dropped his raven head between your legs. White spots burst before your eyes when he dragged his tongue up your weeping slit, gathering up your arousal. The taste made him groan against you, the vibrations intensifying your pleasure to astronomical levels. Blinding white heat burst through you as he suckled on your clit, drawing out a loud cry from your throat. 

"Does that feel good, Kitten?" he growled out, nipping at your inner thigh, "Do you want more?" 

"Ah~! Yes! God, Shouta, yes!" 

"I'm going to ruin you." He lapped again at your dripping heat, "I'm going to leave you a pretty little mess for the heroes to find. A little needy slut like you would like that, wouldn't you?" Aizawa didn't wait for your answer, suckling once more on your sensitized pearl. The sensation was enough to send you over the edge, bucking wildly as you came right into his mouth. The villain lapped and sucked, enjoying every drop that you had to give him, pulling back when you fell limp in your bindings.

You yelped when he pulled you roughly to the edge of the table. Wide-eyed shock was sprawled across your face, your mouth gaping open as he roughly pushed down his pants. A thick, hard length sprung free, slapping up against his abdomen. At your stare, Shouta gave you a wicked grin. 

"You didn't think I was done with you, did you?" He chuckled then, "No, little hero, I want more from you." 

After all of the attention and the aphrodisiac, your entrance was aching and slick so when he thrust into you, he was able to easily sheath his length in your dripping want. The answering moan was obscene and you clenched around him. The villain cursed under his breath before setting a brutal pace. Flesh slapping filled the warehouse along with your promiscuous moans and his grunts. Crafty fingers reached up and toyed with your nipples, rocketing more desire into your core. Everything was already tightening up again, the aphrodisiac still pumping strong in your veins. 

"Ah~! Fuck! Shouta! Please!" 

He reached up and clamped a hand over your mouth, muffling your voice to a quiet but needy moan. His other hand left your breasts and braced against the table as he continued to thrust into you. 

"I didn't say you could talk." 

Your muffled whine made his cock twitch. You bucked and squirmed, seeking your next release which only fueled Eraserhead even further. Deciding he wanted to torment you further, he pinched your nose shut, still firmly sealing off your mouth. The abrupt loss of breath was both frightening and electrifying. Shouta rutted into you and only released his hold on your nose once you started to squirm. With your mouth still clamped closed, you could only pant hard, nostrils flaring to gain more oxygen as he continued his pace.

The coil of pleasure within you finally snapped and you came a second time, screaming into his palm. Eraserhead hissed and pulled out abruptly. Bursts of sticky, white cum landed on your breasts and stomach, the villain over you groaning in relief. Panting he straightened before chuckling, running his hands through his mussed, black hair. 

"Good girl." He pulled out a roll of duct tape then, "Now sit real still." 

Aizawa made quick work of replacing all of the spots you had been secured with his capture weapon with the duck tape instead. Already you could feel your desire heating up again. Damn aphrodisiac! You thought he was done and that he planned to leave then. You were wrong. 

"I think I'll leave you here for your heroes to find. But, I'll let you have a parting gift." he rustled around in his discarded pants before producing a small egg shaped object. Your mouth went try. "I came prepared just for you, Kitten. It will be something to remember me by." 

With a click of the discrete button on the top it buzzed to life. He pressed it against your clit, your eyes going wide at the sensation. Eraserhead used the tape to help hold it in place on your aching clit, your hips already thrusting again to seek relief. You heard a familiar click before you opened your eyes to see him putting away his phone, a wide and wicked smirk on his face. 

"Just something for me to remember you by. Tell your heroes I said hi."

He left you there, whining and bucking against the vibrator, helpless until someone found you.

[fantasymouse]

Our Ordinary Life - 6

Word count: 5.8k

Tags: ot7 x reader | monster!au | fluff | mature themes

Summary:  When a hapless human named y/n is inducted as a “volunteer” into the government exchange program, her world is turned upside down.

Previous | Masterlist | Next

The sizzling sound of bacon frying and other pots boiling, filled the kitchen while Jungkook moved about. He joyfully sang to himself “the basic elements of cooking are the S’s~ Sweet sugar, Salty salt, Sour sauce!” You sat by the kitchen island, frowning at the odd mix of ingredients he was hazardously mixing together. “It’s miso, not sauce” you reminded him. As usual, he was too high energy to pay your correction any mind. Jungkook winked at you, adding to his song “and the secret ingredient is burning hot love for my princess. Too hot?!” he exclaimed when the pan literally caught on fire. You jumped from the chair in absolute terror, he was definitely going to burn your kitchen to the ground. “D-Do you need help, Jungkook?” He turned around, his passion as bright as the fire behind him. He determinedly exclaimed “It’s fine. I need to train harder than the others in order to be your husband! I’m on fire right now!” you sighed and casually remarked “well, you’re gonna burn the house down. Turn it off.” Jungkook turned down the stove while using his tail to put a lid back on the pot. He pushed up the sleeves of his red, knitted shirt and dusted off the white apron he was currently wearing before stating “starting today, I’ll cook! What better way to train to be a husband?” He looked so content with himself, you didn’t have the heart to decline him.

Jungkook stopped paying you attention and daydreamed of coming home to you, standing naked with nothing but the very apron he was wearing. Jungkook blushed as he imagined you saying something cliche like “welcome home honey, do you want dinner? A bath? Or maybe… Me?” His blush darkened as he decided, if that ever happens, when that happens, he would definitely have you for dinner in the bath. You would shyly exclaim “you’re so greedy, Kookie!” his heart was beating a million miles a minute while he imagined having you in such a way. You glared suspiciously at him when he squealed and giggled with excitement. “Concentrate on cooking. Where are the others? Are they all asleep?” You asked while pushing off the kitchen island and walking towards the living room. You barely noticed how Jungkook suddenly stiffened and looked into space. The pot was starting to boil over making you yell out “Jungkook, the pot!” he snapped out of his sudden haze and lifted the pot off the stove in a panic. It stopped boiling, but his fingers were quickly being punished as the metal scalded his palms. “Hot!” Jungkook screamed and dropped the pot, spilling its contents everywhere.

After the accident, Jungkook had hidden away in his room. It had been a while and you were starting to get worried. Silently, you headed up the stairs and knocked on the first door to the left. “Jungkook, everyone makes mistakes. Just keep trying” you said, trying to sound as sincere as possible. He yelled from the other side of the door “i-it’s okay. I’m not worried about cooking! So, could you maybe leave me alone for now?” You frowned and took a small step forward, debating if you should actually leave him be. You looked to the ground when your foot touched something. It was a dry, thin strip of something pale and leathery. It was reflecting the light slightly, making it look glittery.

Jungkook was hiding beneath his blanket, he looked at his now bandaged hands. His face was blazing red with tears threatening to overflow. “This is awful. What should I do? I can’t deal with this… With these hands” his tail moved restlessly beneath the sheet. Rubbing against the bed for friction. “What is this? Paper?” Jungkook heard you questioning yourself and felt his heart rate speed up. “DON’T!” he wailed while rushing towards the door. Jungkook swung it open and tackled you violently to the ground in his panic. You groaned in pain and managed to sit up. You looked questionably at his face and slowly turned your eyes to his black tail that was now exposed. The once shiny and smooth scales were currently flakey and dull. Realizing that you had seen his tail he, wordlessly moved back on his bed. Holding the sheet tightly to his body. Jungkook sobbed silently, the bundle of blankets on top of him moving in sync with his shaking shoulders.

You sat on the edge of his bed and pondered what to say to calm him. “So nagas shed, too? Is that why you’ve been so out of it?” Jungkook sniffled and mumbled into the pillow “I didn’t want you to see me while I was shedding. With my hands burned like this, I can’t deal with it properly. My shedding skin…” You blushed and coughed awkwardly. “Well, don’t worry about it. You’re basically always naked anyway” you reassured, recalling all the times you had walked in on him just hanging about with no clothes. Jungkook finally lifted his face from the pillow and looked you in the eyes. “For nagas, having someone see you while you’re shedding is more embarrassing than being seen naked!” Your heart sank when you were finally able to see his flushed cheeks and teary eyes. Jungkook evaded your gaze and dejectedly mumbled “I can’t really cook, clean or do the laundry. On top of that… I can’t even shed properly. You’re actually considering us for marriage, and I can’t live up to your expectations. It’s pathetic. But I’ve never failed to shed before!” He choked up and started crying again. You scrunched your eyebrows together and asked “it’s called imperfect shedding, right? It often happens to snakes under stress.”

Jungkook’s weeping stopped, too surprised that you knew that much about snakes, to focus on his low self-esteem. You stood up from his bed and looked at him with a comforting smile while guessing “maybe living in a new environment is stressing you out. But you could get a skin disease if you let it go on” your frown returned while you worried about him possibly getting sick. Jungkook turned to face you again and wiped tears from his cheeks. “Princess, why do you know so much about it?” A faint blush appeared on your cheeks when you sheepishly admitted to having studied up on snakes. Also revealing that Namjoon had given some advice, too.

“Naga ecology is similar to snakes’. Use these to study” you recalled Namjoon saying while handing over a mountain of books and other research on snakes.

You kneeled down so you could look him in the eyes. “As long as we’re living together, I owe it to you. So I’ll help you shed. But in exchange… I want you to help me shed, too.” Jungkook’s eyebrows pinched and he tilted his head cutely in confusion. “Huh? Humans don’t shed, do they?” you chuckled and nodded, answering “we do.” Jungkook’s eyes widened. You explained, “our skin peels off when we get sunburned.” After situating yourselves, Jungkook was laying on his stomach, clutching his pillow tightly to cover his blushing face. You stood behind him, ready to begin once he gave you permission. He nodded, signaling that he was ready. “O-Okay, here I go. Let me know if it hurts” You started by the largest spot and began peeling off the shedding skin. You were surprised by how easily it came off. You were able to pull a big chunk just by one smooth movement. Revealing his shiny new scales underneath. The only problem seemed to be Jungkook. The second you started, he had started whining and gasping through ragged breaths. As you continued further down his tail, he began moaning. Jungkook bit into the pillow, a vain attempt at keeping silent. You gulped at the sight of him beneath you, his moaning and writhing were starting to make you feel unbearably hot. You realized that your own breathing sounded equally as airy as Jungkook’s. Innocent thoughts. Think innocent thoughts. You repeated over and over. You reached a certain spot on his tail where the skin was a little harder to remove. You scratched at it, hoping to loosen it. The action made Jungkook inhale sharply and whine loudly.

“P-Princess… The tip… The tip of my tail…” he moaned cautiously. Jungkook waved it in front of you. It was the last piece of skin you needed to remove and then you’d be done with his backside. “It’s sensitive, right? But you’ll have to be patient for a bit, okay?” You gently grabbed it and carefully started peeling off the shedding scales. Jungkook wailed loudly, the rest of his tail wrapped around your neck as he moaned “wait, princess! I can’t! I can’t take it! I’m so turned on, it’s making me crazy!” Jungkook shook his head furiously. His tail coiled tighter with every passing second. “It’s okay! Just a little more! It’s just the very tip!” you exclaimed and swiftly pulled the remaining skin off. Jungkook moaned “no!” it was so loud he was nearly screaming. And you couldn’t help but feel mildly mortified, knowing that the entire neighborhood probably heard it.

You held the shed skin up and exclaimed “I… I got it” followed by a relieved sigh. Jungkook was breathing erratically, his entire face flushed while desperately gripping the sheets to ground himself. “O-Okay… I’ll take the rest off your stomach now. Lie on your back, okay?” you prepared yourself, internally trying to convince yourself that the hardest part was over. Jungkook agreed and rolled onto his back. He was covering his face with his left, bandaged hand while pulling up his jeans to reveal a familiar piece of fabric, resting between the junction where his hips met his tail. “We’re finished with the tip of your tail, so the rest should be eas-” you were interrupted by Jungkook quickly placing his tail around your head, covering your eyes. “Um, Princess… Don’t look. I’m taking it off” you realized what was about to happen and flailed your hands in panic “w-wait, shouldn’t you do that area yourself?” You couldn’t see what Jungkook was doing but you knew he had already removed his underwear. “But this is my most sensitive area. If it’s not pulled off, well… it’ll get itchy and stuff. So, Princess… go ahead” Jungkook mumbled shyly. You took a deep breath to steel yourself and placed your hands along the sides of his wide tail. 

You slowly slid your hands up his sides to feel for the shedding skin. Jungkook shivered as you touched him. “So, Jungkook, where’s the rest of the skin?” you blindly moved your hand across a curve, which you assumed to be his hip. His skin was so soft and refreshingly chilly against your own burning body. “Not there. A little to the right” his voice was slightly muffled. “A little to my right, you mean?” you asked, very worried about touching something you shouldn’t. Jungkook’s voice quivered a little as he responded “oh, sorry. To my right.” He gasped when you started moving your hands, which you were especially conscious of since your eyes were covered. His skin was so incredibly soft, smooth and squishy… It was nothing like the scaly bits. “P-Princess… that area is sensitive...” Jungkook moaned. Your hands skimmed closer, making his body spasm suddenly, the tail wrapped over your eyes jerked, making you throw your head back. “I’m sorry, princess. It’s okay. I’m okay now. There’s just a little more” Jungkook whined, his voice sounded like sin. 

Your panties were ruined at this point, and you knew you needed to finish this quickly. Before anything else happened. “Jungkook, where’s the rest of the skin?” you hurriedly asked through your own heavy breaths. “T-to the right” he whispered breathlessly. You leaned closer, recklessly feeling your way to the right. “Okay. My right, right? You’re covering it with your hand, right? Let’s get this over with!” You squealed with determination. Your hands were moving before you had even heard his answer. Which you quickly regretted as Jungkook wailed “not your right, Princess!” everything went silent when you grabbed something thick and heavy. You sat still for several seconds, unable to move out of pure shock. Jungkook’s tail twisted with a violent force, causing you to be flung out of the bed and down to the floor. A loud bump resounded as your neck landed weirdly “P-Princess!” Jungkook exclaimed in worry. You were quickly rushed to the hospital and left wearing a neck brace. You managed to get home by dinner.

Jungkook sat you by the dinner table while adding another dish on the table with a content smile. Half the food was completely black, burned to ash. While the rest contained some kind of grimy, purple hue. How he managed to achieve this, you would never know. “Here, Princess. Eat up! To thank you and apologize for earlier” he was holding a large pot, containing a soup of some kind. Or at least you thought it was soup. The meat was charred and the soup itself was bubbling ominously as if a creature dwelled within it and was waiting to strike once it got closer. You had never seen anything like it and wondered if it was a traditional naga dish? Honestly, you would rather die, than eat whatever it was Jungkook had just served you. Or rather you were certain you would die if you ate that monstrosity. You looked at Jungkook and didn’t know what to do, as you were met with his expectant stare. Jungkook looked so happy with himself, the wide smile revealing his fangs. His large, golden eyes shining with hope and optimism. You gulped and carefully responded with a wavering voice “okay, let’s eat…” If the stench wasn’t bad enough, after the first bite you knew that you had been poisoned. Every bite tasted like acid as it burned your taste buds.

When you finally finished the meal, you collapsed on the table. “Th-Thanks for the food…” your face was pale and you felt like throwing up. Jungkook smiled, pure joy in his eyes as he exclaimed “you ate it all” he was definitely proud of himself. You had never tasted anything like it. Non-human cooking is incredible, you concluded. Your thoughts were interrupted by the other four guys running into the room. Hoseok’s shirt was only half buttoned, all of them looked like hell. Their faces were sickly pale. And their bodies were shivering. Much like your own. “We’re too late,” Hoseok said with remorse. “Wh-What happened to you guys? I haven’t seen you since this morning” you asked. Hoseok closed his eyes and asked Jungkook “what did you make?” Happy to be questioned about his cooking, Jungkook eagerly explained “oh, my menu? Curry, meat and potatoes, hamburger steak, fried rice, pork soup, and pudding. Your face paled as none of the food had been recognizable “Jungkook, did you use a cookbook?” Jungkook shook his head, his dark hair becoming slightly ruffled as he proudly answered “no, I copied you. I had everyone try it, so it should be fine” you looked over to the other guys and was not surprised to see them close to fainting.

“You didn’t taste it yourself?” Jungkook started cleaning up, while happily revealing that he always lost his appetite before shedding. You groaned in suffering together with the others.

The sky was bathed in warm orange hues as the sun set below the horizon. You opened the front door and yelled: “I’m home!” The rustling of feet announced that the others would soon greet you. You sat down on the floor, feeling tired and sore from a long work day, and started untying your shoes. “Welcome home. You must be tired from work.” Jungkook said when they all stood behind you. Jimin mumbled something but you didn’t catch it as Jin wheeled into the hallway as well and asked “did you go shopping?” motioning to two white, plastic bags sitting by your side. You took off your shoes with a relieved sigh and answered “the supermarket was having a sale. Eggs and vegetables were cheap.” Jimin repeated himself a little louder but your attention was drawn to Taehyung when he suddenly tackled you in a hug, happily exclaiming “Master! Master, Master...” Jimin continued to call for attention, standing slightly behind the others. Still in his pajamas. The other males frowned while Taehyung started kissing your cheeks lovingly. Hoseok stepped forward, interrupting Jimin. “Hey, Tae! The master is tired” Taehyung nuzzled his face into your neck, not paying any mind to the others. Jimin started calling louder, you finally turned around, with Taehyung tightly hugging you. “Yeah? What is it, Jimin?” Jimin was sporting a light blush, and plainly stated: “I want to mate with you.” You choked on air when Jimin said it with the same tone you would use to describe the weather. The others were outraged, immediately striking out at Jimin. The poor harpy barely managed to dodge their attacks before elaborating on his sudden outburst.

“Oh, you’re in heat? I thought you’d done it with my princess. You scared me!” Jungkook said with a tight laugh, as he continued to squeeze Jimin’s body with his tail. Jin added, “sheesh, what a relief.” Hoseok put his sword away while mentioning “good grief. You’re such a troublemaker.” Jungkook eventually let go of Jimin, asking “Jimin are you in heat every spring, like a bird?” Jimin curled his wings up to his body, an annoyed frown on his flushed face. “No way! It’s been forever since my last one. But it’s my first time since coming to this country, so it’s not going so well” you frowned, concerned about the usually carefree harpy, who seemed very burdened by this situation. “Is it stress? A-Anyway, we should call Namjoon…” You were interrupted by the sound of your doorbell. Confused who would be visiting at this hour, you carefully opened the door. A camera was forcefully shoved in your face by a small, middle-aged man, standing directly on in front of you. He had a thin, patchy beard and a large crooked nose. He was wearing a simple, nonbranded red shirt with blue jeans and glasses. “Excuse me. Is there a harpy getting ready to mate here?” Jungkook placed his arm against the door frame, leaning over your shoulder and glared at the odd man. “How did you know?” he asked with a suspicious grimace.

The man seemed to be filled with energy, he gestured wildly with his hand, that wasn’t holding the large camera. “I was listeni- I mean, I had a hunch. A director’s hunch!” You tilted your head in confusion, repeating the word "director?" out loud. He scavenged his left pocket, pulling out a small, white business card. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Smith, the video director. I’m currently filming a documentary on the interspecies exchange. Would you be willing to do an interview?” His eyes were wide, staring at you with extreme intensity. Since it wasn’t really up to you, you looked to the guys. They seemed to have a silent conversation and cautiously agreed to it. Smith, rushed into your house, he didn’t miss a beat and filmed everything in the hallway. He gasped in amazement while he studied and shot the spacious hallway from every possible viewpoint. You leaned closer to Hoseok “uh… Are you sure?” Hoseok crossed his arms and sighed rather loudly, he seemed annoyed “we’re here as a part of an interspecies exchange program. It makes sense for us to participate in such interviews.” Behind you stood Jungkook and Jin, worrying about how they looked. Jungkook turned to Jin and asked if he had a bedhead, which Jin was quick to reassure that he did, like always.

“Okay, let’s start by interviewing the harpy!” Smith suddenly shouted. Jimin sat on his bed, fidgeting restlessly. Taehyung was sitting behind the camera as emotional support. Although he seemed a little distracted by the food you had placed out for Jimin. “Well? Are you far along in your heat yet?” Smith asked with anticipation. Jimin’s muscles tensed for a minute before he could manage to shake his head no. Smith turned around, the camera still held firmly in front of him. “In that case, let me film the other boys’ rooms until you are! It’s all part of interspecies exchange! I’d appreciate your help” they reluctantly agreed and headed to their respective rooms as they showed Smith around. He grinned slyly, something the guys didn’t notice. But you did.

He headed to Seokjin’s room first. He did a panoramic shot across the room. The upper half of the walls colored beige while the bottom was made of red tiles. The only floor was in front of the door, leading across the same stretch of wall, like a small walkway. The rest was a pool, deep enough to allow Seokjin to swim freely. “An indoor pool! No wonder you’re wearing a swimsuit” Smith commented while filming Seokjin floating in the water. He filmed from the very tip of Seokjin’s fin, up his golden tail, zooming in on the black swimwear around his hips and upper tail, covering his modesty. Smith continued filming up Seokjin’s naked chest, focusing on the gills on his torso and finally stopping at Seokjin’s patient face. “By the way, are you wearing underwear? What’s underneath your trunks?” Seokjin covered himself and sunk further into the water. A furious blush covering his pale cheeks. Jungkook and Hoseok who were standing behind Smith, waiting for their turn, both bellowed “Hey! What’s that any of your business?!” Smith jumped, clearly startled by the guys yelling at him. He quickly turned around, lowering the camera “oh, I’m sorry. I’m just curious. Please excuse me. 

How do you get out of the pool?” After excusing himself, Smith swiftly returned to interviewing Seokjin. “W-Well I build speed and leap out of the water” he took a deep breath to calm himself and smoothly dived below the surface only to jump out of the pool. Seokjin sat on his tail, making him about the height of Smith. The camera panned down, catching a shot of Seokjin’s trunks that had slipped out of place after he had jumped. Realizing what Smith was filming, Seokjin swiftly jumped back into the water. You rushed up to Smith growling “hey! did you…” Smith made a peace sign and assured you that he’d edit it out later. “Moving on, let’s check Mr. Jung’s room” Smith turned the camera to Hoseok and waited expectantly, at this point you were starting to get bad vibes from this guy and was about to state your concern. “Don’t worry, Master. Unlike Jin, I will not be careless. I will endure any interview or battle.”

“A Japanese style room? This is unexpected!” Smith exclaimed as he panned across the room. The floor was covered with mats, by the wall stood a large open style closet. To the right were Hoseok’s sword and bow. Behind it was a painting of a peaceful waterfall. Above a shelf, there was a large banner with ‘Half Man, Half Horse’ written on it, with traditional Japanese letters. The camera returned to Hoseok who stood with folded arms, in the corner. “I like tatami mats. The texture, the smell of grasses… Centaurs do not sleep on beds or futons. But these tatami mats-” Smith interrupted Hoseok by asking “Mr. Jung, do you wear underwear?” He zoomed in on the large sheet covering Hoseok’s flank, getting a view of his behind and panning up to Hoseok’s blushing face. “Why would you ask that?! That has nothing to do with anything!” He angrily exclaimed, Smith once again insisted. Hoseok’s face was beet red while he yelled: “centaurs just don’t wear underwear!” Smith put the camera down and rushed to Hoseok’s flank. He began trying to raise the sheet “allow me to verify that. It seems quite large. Does your back ever get stiff?” Hoseok jumped away and grabbed his sword. He angrily yelled “you’ve gone too far! I will not tolerate further insults!” Smith returned to his camera and started gesturing wildly “you don’t have to tolerate them. If you don’t ask the hard questions, it’s not an interview! Even if I earn your disdain, I will do my best to cover the mutual understanding and friendship between species!” Raw passion fueled Smith’s words as he yelled this with conviction. Stunning Hoseok enough, to allow Smith to turn to you and Jungkook standing behind him. 

“Next, let’s go to Mr. Jeon’s room.” Jungkook sighed heavily with dislike and showed Smith to his room. He sat down on his bed and glared at Smith. Jungkook’s room was white, with wooden shelves filled with small knick-knacks and other personal belongings he had gathered since staying with you. “Do you wear underwear?” Smith boldly asked. Jungkook clenched his fists, tightly gripping his bed sheets so he did not unintentionally lash out. “You’re starting with that?! I do!” Jungkook angrily exclaimed, Smith, turned the camera to Jungkook’s jeans and asked, “will you show me?” Jungkook grabbed the camera and pushed it away, hissing “no way!” the motion caused Smith to stumble, but it allowed him to catch sight of a very interesting see-through bag. “Oh? What’s this?” Jungkook yelped, completely flustered, he quickly grabbed the bag with his tail and threw it over to himself before Smith could get any closer. “Is that your shed skin? You still haven’t thrown it away?” You asked Jungkook while he hugged the bag closely to him, Smith repeated the words ‘shed skin’ with interest. “Well, it’d be embarrassing if I threw it out and crows got to it…” Jungkook mumbled, very flustered about the entire situation. After hearing his words, Smith jumped into action. Passionately shouting “you can’t throw this away! Fanatics would consider this a rare treasure! Since ancient times, this country has considered snake skins lucky. Shrines that worship snakes are sacred everywhere! In China, they’re used as an ingredient in traditional medicine. So may I have this? I’m sure all kinds of people would love to have it!”

You both stared dumbfounded as Smith went to grab the bag from Jungkook and examining the contents as if it was the most precious thing in the world. “A-Absolutely not! Only perverts would be happy to have my skin” well, it was his skin so you could understand why he was unwilling to hand it to some stranger. Smith, however, didn’t seem undeterred “then I will give it only to research facilities. This skin may lead to some kind of discovery. We may even achieve a deeper level of understanding” Smith motioned for Jungkook to lean closer and not so quietly whispered “it may even lead to you marrying your prin- er, a human female” Jungkook leaned back and actually started considering everything Smith had just told him. He started blushing and getting a hazy look in his eyes as his imagination ran wild. “Well, in that case, since it’s for friendship…” Smith walked towards the door, Jungkook was too distracted to hear Smith scoffing at himself. “It’s too bad, though. It’d be worth more if I had footage of him shedding” you were about to address it, but Seokjin burst into the room, yelling “Darling, it’s Jimin!”

You rushed into Jimin’s room to find him still sitting on the bed, he was out of breath and his skin was boiling hot to the touch. “Jimin!” you exclaimed once you say him, he looked to you and raised his arms, motioning for you to come into his embrace. “I… I think it’s… at its peak now…” Jimin groaned, he seemed to be in pain. “Relax, Jimin! Use the Nagaze technique! In, in, out. Breath in twice, and then exhale” Jungkook exclaimed encouragingly, Seokjin tugged at Jungkook’s arm “he’ll hyperventilate if he does that” he nervously chuckled. Smith silently moved up front and focused his camera on Jimin’s sweating body. “Y-You’re filming this, too?” You blurted in shock. Smith jumped up and directed the camera to you, yelling “of course! All for interspecies exchange! Okay, Mr. Park. Let’s undress you so you aren’t so hot” Even though Jimin was just wearing a tank top and his boxers, he nodded in agreement and stripped. Leaving him in just his underwear. “Do you have to go this far?” you asked, a blush dusting your cheeks. The camera was trained on Jimin’s squirming body, Smith turned to you “now, now. Here, Master. Help Mr. Park get through this” your eyes widened when he began issuing orders. You sighed and asked Jimin if you could help with anything. Jimin nodded and held his arms up again, inviting you into a hug. Seeing how uncomfortable he was, you didn’t hesitate. The second Jimin wrapped his large wings around you, he exhaled with a breath of relief. His plumage seemed brighter than you remembered it. Now that you thought about it, Jimin had acted rather strangely this past week.

Jimin had been a lot more boastful than he usually was, you had caught him puffing out his chest and squaring up around the other males more often than not. He had also gained the habit of repeatedly stealing pillows, blankets and anything else that was soft to build pillow forts in his room. Most importantly, Jimin had been humming around you. Even singing occasionally. Namjoon had mentioned that hearing a harpy sing was extremely rare, as they only ever did it to other harpies for some unknown reason. When you mentioned to Jimin that he had a lovely voice, he had blushed and returned to his room. After a little thought, you felt slightly stupid for not realizing that something was up with him sooner. “M-Master, a little more… A little lower” Jimin moaned while you cuddled up against him. Your face went beet red as you repeated the word ‘lower’ in your mind. Doing as he suggested you pressed further up against his hips. Grinding down on him, you felt something hard. He bit into your shirt while he miserably tried to control his heat. Jimin whined loudly, tears in his eyes “it’s almost done… My heat is almost over” You cuddled further into him, whispering small words of encouragement. Your cool skin against his felt refreshing, Jimin sighed contently, while he focused on preening into you.  You stopped everything you were doing, the second you looked at Smith. “That’s it. Show me that uncensored mating scene. A video of Harpy courtship is worth no less than three million. And paired with this uncensored footage, it could be worth four… No, five million. They’re dumb, too, so they’re easily manipulated” Taehyung said while holding his hand on top of Smith’s head.

Taehyung's hand, from his fingers to his wrist, was turned blue while he connected to Smith’s thoughts again. Taehyung offered an innocent boxy smile while continuing “we’re just getting to the sexiest part. I can’t take it anymore” Smith screamed in horror and jumped away from Taehyung, who tilted his head cutely. Hoseok, Jungkook, and Seokjin moved in front of Smith with furious expressions. “So that’s what you’ve been up to. Understanding? Friendship? Don’t make me laugh. You vulgar human! You should be ashamed! You were trying to make money off us?! Your camera and Jungkook’s skin… We’ll be taking them!” They all yelled. Hoseok unsheathed his sword, Jungkook coiled his tail which was vibrating with anger and Seokjin cracked his neck threateningly as he prepared to tackle.

Smith swiftly grabbed the bag with Jungkook’s shed skin and jumped away from the group, fiercely screaming “don’t touch me! Non-human species can’t hurt humans! This is my property. Part of me. You have no right to touch it!” A chill went through the air when Smith finally noticed you standing behind him. If the boys were angry, you were seething. Your anger manifested in the room as a silent storm, brewing, and thundering. Without any words, you grabbed Smith’s collar and punched him with everything you had. He stumbled back and hit his head on the floor. Jimin looked at you in adoration as you protected all of them. You turned to Taehyung and smiled gratefully “thanks, Tae. I didn’t know you had that ability. You can read minds, that’s impressive” he practically beamed at the praise. His hand returning to that nice tan skin tone instead of blue. While you all were distracted, Smith rushed out of the house, leaving behind both his camera and the bag of shed skin. Unfortunately escaping you all.

Jungkook stood by the kitchen cooking you all dinner while you discussed what to do with Jungkook’s shed skin and the camera. “I didn’t realize that videos of Jimin could be so valuable. What do we do?” Seokjin said with concern. Jimin who was finally through with his heat, sat closely cuddled up against you. He nuzzled his face into your neck, contently breathing in your scent as he enjoyed the feeling of you under his wing. Ignoring everything else. You sighed and turned to your head to look over your shoulder. “What should we do, Namjoon?” He leaned against the wall and stiffened his shoulders when you called him. “Don’t try to involve me. I don’t get paid enough for that” he sharply stated. Namjoon walked up beside you and pushed his sunglasses down to look you in the eyes, why he wore them at night you didn’t know, he whispered “Oh, and princess… The name and address on that director’s business card were fake. He seemed experienced in his trade so he could be a repeat offender. I’ll investigate him.” After you nodded in acknowledgment, Namjoon straightened his back and said: “by the way, what’s for dinner tonight?” You chuckled and responded “Jungkook’s cooking tonight. If you’re okay with that…” Everyone’s face paled, preparing themselves for the torture they were about to endure.

The room was dark and dusty. It was cluttered with all sorts of trash and old recordings. Most notably was the thick strands of spider webs hanging from every corner of the small room. A MONstars concert played loudly on the TV. “That damn kid. She ruined my snakeskin, camera, and data. I’ll have to gather more thread to make money again” Smith seethed to himself while collecting the strong webbing and spinning it into a thread. “You seem busy. Need some help? I’ve got lots” a deep, husky voice teasingly offered. Smith turned and looked to the ceiling, angrily yelling “don’t get a big head just because your thread sells! And you keep building webs everywhere! Can’t you keep them in one place?!” The voice repeated “one place? You mean like this?” 

Suddenly, webs snapped from every angle and Smith was completely tangled in a large cocoon, encasing his entire body. Smith screamed in terror while he was hoisted from the ground. “She casually threw away three million. She is either very kind or a wolf in sheep’s clothing. How disgusting... I’m a little interested” the voice chuckled to himself.

Previous | Masterlist | Next

[airiat]

skies cloud on the horizon

prompt no. 22 requested by @curiousartemis

[ female dovahkiin | dragonborn/teldryn sero ]

high queen of skyrim fjoara ebonhand, her husband teldryn sero, and their infant daughter become snowed-in by a deadly storm on the eve of saturalia. resources dwindle and the storm shows no sign of stopping. will they make it through the night to see their daughter’s first holiday?

tagged: angst with a happy ending, hurt/comfort, eventual fluff

warnings: themes of death/implied s*cide attempt (rating: mature) 

wc: 2,379

//

Beyond the stone walls of our home, the snow beat ceaselessly against the starless night sky. Amidst the bedlam, the wind shrieked through bare tree branches that rattled like old bones at the bottom of a crypt. It was the third night of this storm and the second of its kind that brutal winter. Safe inside the unyielding and self-sustaining fortress of the Blue Palace, I ordinarily would have paid little heed to this sort of weather. That time, however, my husband, myself, and our infant daughter found ourselves three holds away from Solitude at our manor on Lake Ilinalta, unprepared and helpless. 

It was to be a short trip, so our food stores were scarce--enough to last little more than a week. In order to replenish them, it would be a two day’s journey on horseback to Falkreath. Though I could use my thu’um to clear the storm, my power was limited, the effect transient and only able to influence a small area. Thus, I was the only one capable of making the journey. At any other time in my life, I would have made the sacrifice readily, but my daughter was far too young for me to be away from her. And for anyone other than me, to venture outside would be to walk into the arms of death. We were hostages to the storm.

I almost couldn’t bear to think of how dire our situation was, but with my daughter’s life to consider, I had no other choice. I tried to be pragmatic, tried to reason away my fear, but the storm gave me limitless time to spin tales of disaster in my mind. I saw images of my family dying, ravaged by starvation or laid to waste by the freezing weather, our home our burial ground. It was my own tendency towards anxiety amplified by the brutal awareness of motherhood. I thought I knew the shape fear takes, the sawtooth armor on a dovah or the sea of eyes on a Daedric prince, but those monsters became lambs in the face of that day.

The thoughts that tormented my mind also rendered me paralyzed; I hadn’t left my position seated in front of the hearth since the morning. In my arms, Rayna was a small bundle, so helpless in the way her eyes were closed shut against the world of chaos she was born into, misfortune poised to unfold with every stroke of time that passes. It was Saturalia’s Eve that night, our whole reason for being there. My husband and I had wanted to spend her first holiday away from the decorum of the palace, safe and in repose at our private residence. It was an occasion that should have been one of merriment, not of white-knuckled survival. Every time I recall that night I do so with the suffocation of regret pressed against my throat like a dagger.

We should have known.

We should have heeded my mother’s prophecies of a holiday gone awry. I should have listened to the way my bones grow cold as they do when there is snow over the horizon. But we were selfish, so exhausted by the duties of my new life as Skyrim’s queen. It’s only a few day’s time, we said. As if catastrophe was an event one could schedule on a calendar. Kyne heeds no mortal man.

“Fjoara,” Teldryn said from behind us. “Come up to bed with me. Please.”

Anger gripped me in its fiery fists at his words. “How dare you even think of sleep at a time like this,” I growled in a low voice.

Teldryn’s footsteps creaked against the wooden floor as he walked to us. My husband looked at me with desperation overflowing from his eyes as he knelt at my feet. “Please, Fjoara. If I take her instead, will you go rest?”

“No,” I responded. “I will not be apart from my daughter.”

His desperation morphed into hurt when I spoke. “Rayna...” he paused to take a deep breath “...Rayna is my daughter, too. Let me take her.”

“No” is all I said.

Teldryn stood abruptly and I could see that the pain had made its final transformation into rage. He faced my daughter and me, flame smoldering in one clenched fist. I regarded the threat he posed with a dismissive glance. My dear husband seemed to have forgotten the way I could make him crumple to the ground at the utterance of a single word.

“I don’t know why I married you.”

At that, all of my resentment fell away as I stared at him in anguished horror. Teldryn might have needed a sentence rather than a word, but the wound was just as devastating as anything I could have done to him.

He was seething, then. “I don’t belong in Skyrim. There’s nothing for me here, but I stayed anyway. And why? For you, Fjoara. Because I was a brainless, lovestruck s’wit.”

For as much faith I had in my Voice, I found myself entirely unable to speak. I could only watch as the fire grew in his hand; I could smell its heat.

He continued. “If I hadn’t married you, I could have gone back home to Morrowind, far away from the atrocities of your homeland. Instead, I sit here waiting to see if this godsforsaken snow, of all things, is going to take away the only two people I’ve ever loved. Well, to that I say, ‘not if it takes me first.’”

I could scarcely make sense of his words--the sudden ringing in my ears was too deafening. Teldryn looked at us for a moment longer before he strode away out of my view.

Somehow, throughout this, Rayna had stayed peacefully asleep. I tried to comfort myself in her small, warm presence, so solid and anchoring against my body. It was almost enough to heal the hole in my heart Teldryn had just left. Suddenly, the sound of the front door slamming shut cut through the fogginess of my mind like the bright illumination from a torch. In the next moment, I heard the fast pounding of boots on wood as someone came running towards me.

“My Lady,” the steward said with panic clear in his voice. “Your husband has gone out into the storm. I tried to stop him, but he…” Heidmir’s fingers hovered lightly over a scorched handprint wrapped around the skin of his forearm.

“Teldryn?” I whispered. “He...no. No.”

I was on my feet in an instant, my sudden movement jostling Rayna as her sterling cry rang out above the fray. I drew Healing into one of my hands and laid it on Heidmir’s injury. When his burn had vanished, I placed Rayna, still wailing, into his arms. With my absence, her cries grew shrill and piercing. I could feel my mother’s instinct drawing me back to her, but I forced myself onward to the front door. By the time I reached the entryway, my housecarl and two guards were already there anticipating my command.

“Your Highness, let us go out to find him,” Svari said to me. “To lose our lives would be no true loss like yours would be.”

“And lose your lives you will,” I told her brusquely. “I’m in no danger. Please, bring my cloak and boots...quickly.”

Svari said nothing more, knowing better than to attempt further dissuasion, and hastened to the closet in the entryway. Upon her return, she set my boots down and settled my thickest fur cloak around my shoulders. In one fluid movement, I stepped into my boots and started towards the door, prying it open in a fight against the howling wind. The violently churning snow formed an almost immovable wall at the threshold of the doorway. Though it was no worthy opponent to me, I was astounded by the sheer effort Teldryn must have made to step outside. Yet, while he had the strength to leave, he would not have the strength to survive for very long. Time was dwindling with terrifying urgency.

“Lok vah koor,” I Shouted, my Voice nearly swept away by the wildness of the wind.

Within seconds, the storm cowered away from me, forming my path forward like white carpet at my feet. I walked, thinking that he would be mere steps away, but he was nowhere to be found. How far could he have possibly made it?

“Teldryn!” I screamed, so loudly that Kyne herself could have heard the echoes.

There was nothing in response but the sound of the wind slowly sidling back up around me, snarling a hushed threat at my back. I quickened my pace, Shouting to clear the skies once again. The dusk’s light was growing dimmer, snuffed out even further by the storm on all sides of me, but I was in a mindset of pure survival. No errant thought of fear could slip past the stronghold of my mind. My vision tunneled so that I would not see anything but the clarity that protected my journey. To fear would be to allow for Teldryn’s death, for my death.

When I finally found him, he was a still body that had succumbed to the storm, but I did not let myself believe that he was gone. No. My husband would never leave me so easily, not after all those many times he waited for me while I fought my battles, not knowing if I would come back. If I didn’t leave him then, he would not leave me now. That was not how it would end. Overcome with the ferocity of this conviction, I called upon my Dragon Aspect and lifted him into my arms.

The storm was a rabid animal thrashing at my heels by the time I had made it back into the house. I stepped through the door and fell to my knees in a flurry of snow, cradling him in my arms. The mightful energy of my thu’um had begun to wear off, but I did not allow myself to weep for him. He was still alive. I could feel the faint hum of it within him. Drawing upon my last vapors of strength, I pulled Healing into my hands as I held him against me. I let my lungs breathe for him, let my heart beat for him. I would have given him the whole of my life’s force if that’s what it took.

After an indiscernible length of time, Teldryn finally let out a soft sigh against my chest. I willed his eyes to open--I wanted nothing more than to see their brilliant red--but they never did. Still, I knew that the worst had come to pass. He would recover. It was not time for him to join his ancestors just yet.

Too weak from the immensity of my efforts, I allowed the guards to carry him up to our bedroom. I trailed closely behind, watching with a wary eye. They laid him on the bed and I helped rid him of his wet clothes. Only once he was settled, covered in every blanket we had, I finally stopped to take care of myself. When I had changed into a dry nightgown, I pulled back the covers and got into bed, curling myself protectively around his body. He sighed again when I laid my head on his chest.

“Heidmir, where is--” I started to call, but he was through the door with Rayna before I was able to finish. He settled her into my arms then left with the graciousness of his silence in this difficult moment.

As if she somehow knew of the trauma her father had just been through, she reached her small hands out towards him. Carefully, slowly for both of their sakes, I repositioned myself so that she could lay on his chest, supported by me at her back. As if by some small miracle from the Divines, Teldryn’s eyes opened at the exact moment her body touched his. There was frantic, but brief confusion in them before his gaze finally settled on her, then me.

Teldryn brought his arms up to hold Rayna himself, overcome with his relief. “I’m so sorry, Fjoara,” he whispered when his eyes found mine.

“That was the most foolish thing you have ever done,” I said simply.

“I know,” he answered, taking in a deep breath.

“If we lost you, I don’t know…” I squeezed my eyes closed, unable to continue. The tears I’d been staving off had at last begun to fall.

“You will never lose me. I will never leave my child without her father and you…”

He grew quiet, so I opened my eyes to be met by him looking at me with a love that almost seemed worthy enough to be written into history. “And you, Fjoara, are a blessing sent straight to me from my ancestors. I love you, and I will not leave your side for as long as you would have me there.”

Our reconciliation was short, but it was sweeter than the snowberries that stood red and lovely against the winter’s white bleakness. I still struggle to understand what Teldryn must have been feeling to admit defeat in such a way. How destitute he must have been. My husband has always been predisposed to sadness, but I never suspected his life was endangered by it. Every time I think of that moment, I take his pain into me, and it leaves me scarcely able to breathe. I cannot even begin to imagine how much worse it was for him.

By the time the sun had dipped completely beneath the earth, my small family and I had drifted off, safe and together. The trials we had faced that day seemed so far removed as peace settled around us for that night. Sometime in the midst of our slumber, the storm retreated back into the heavens where it came from, leaving only a quiet stillness in its place. When we awoke the next morning, all of yesterday’s sadness had been absolved.

Though she won’t remember what we went through to get there, my daughter’s first Saturalia ended up a happy one, indeed. I’ve never placed much faith into the Divines, but I do believe that they smiled upon us that day.